Travel Guides

Jewish Memorials

In the early 20th century, about half of the population of
Vilnius were Yiddish-speaking Jews and the city was dubbed the
'Jerusalem of the North'. The Nazis in World War II effectively
obliterated this community, encircling the Jewish quarter in barbed
wire and eventually marching the 60,000 or so residents into the
Paneriai Forest where they were executed (some sources estimate
that the number of Jews killed in Vilnius was far higher). Today
the Genocide Museum has been established at the killing field in
memory of the horror. There is also a Jewish Museum depicting
pre-war Jewish life, and visitors are also welcome at the only
remaining Vilnius Synagogue. Efforts are underway to rebuild and
restore many aspects of the former Jewish Quarter; the Jews were a
powerful force in Lithuania and apparently Vilnius once housed more
than a hundred synagogues, not to mention schools, libraries and
other cultural institutions. Tours of Jewish Vilnius incorporating
these sombre but extremely worthwhile historical and cultural
attractions are offered by several private operators and should
captivate any visitors with an interest in Jewish culture or
European history; however, young children may not be prepared for
the realities of these tragic sites.